Biographical Analysis of the Crucible Essay Example for Free

Biographical Analysis of the Crucible Essay What lies deep down in the Crucible characters that not everyone can see? The former husband of Marilyn Monroe managed to keep one aspect of his life private from the media for over four decades. Was it because of shame, selfishness, or fear? The Crucible is based on the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Miller has read all about the Witch Trials, but has never really understood it until he read the book published by Charles W. Upham, the mayor of Salem at that time (â€Å"Why I Wrote The Crucible†). He knew right away that he had to write about that time period. Even though the play provides an accurate representation of the trials, the truth lies in Arthur Miller’s past history. Pursuing this further, Arthur Miller has hidden a life-long secret that recently has come out. When his son, Daniel was born, Miller was very happy, but immediately knew something was wrong. The doctors had diagnosed the baby with Down syndrome. He was the son of Miller’s third wife, Inge Morath. Miller said. â€Å"I’m going to have to put the baby away†, but Inge wanted to keep him (â€Å"Arthur Miller’s Missing Act†). Within days the baby was gone. They sent him to one of the Connecticut institutions for the mentally retarded. Inge went to see him every day, but Arthur never wanted to set eyes on him. Afterwards, nothing was mentioned of Daniel. He was cut out from Miller’s life. Was it because of selfishness, or fear that the world will know? His personal story seems to contradict his theme in The Crucible. Through the character Abigail Williams, we can see that people are willing to give up and abandon their connection with their own values in order to protect themselves. Just as Abigail hid the fact that she had an affair with John Proctor, Arthur Miller has hidden the fact that he also had a brief affair with Marilyn Monroe. Abigail William is the girl who leads this play into disaster. She is most responsible for the meeting in the woods and when Paris finds out, she tries to conceal it as fast as possible, because if she reveals that she has cast a spell on Elizabeth, it will reveal the affair she had with Elizabeth’s  husband, John Proctor. To protect herself from future punishment that may come, she starts to accuse others of witchcraft. By telling lies, that is how she manipulates the whole town into believing that she is innocent (Miller 114-115). Abigail is independent and she knows that nothing is out of her grasp. Once she finds herself attracted to Proctor, she won’t suppress her desires that she wants him. However many times she reviews her memories, the more she is sure that she is the ideal wife for John. The only thing in the way is Elizabeth. Declaring witchcraft among the majority will keep the secret out of reach. She uses this to create fear and intimidation among the townsmen people. The only reason her evil little plan is working is that the girls have got her back. She has threatened them with violence if they refuse to do as she says. â€Å"Now look you. All of you. We danced. And Tituba conjured Ruth Putnam’s dead sisters. And that is all. And mark this. Let either of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things, and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and I will bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you. †¦ And I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down!† (Miller 20). In order to get Proctor, she must eliminate Elizabeth and choose her individuals she will accuse wisely. She thinks nothing of the fact that the individuals will be hanged based upon her accusation. When she sees her plan failing, she will react the same by not showing any signs of fear. She has condemned Proctor to hang and flees right away from the town, leaving all the action well behind. John Proctor is the protagonist of the play, while Abigail is the antagonist. One of his flaws is his temper. Proctor leads to shouting and even physical violence. There are occasions in the play where he threatens to whip his wife, servant, and even his ex-mistress, Abigail. He was the average good man, who owned a farm and was respected by everyone he knew. He had three children a good wife to raise a family with and all was well until Abigail came into his life. At first Abigail was the housekeeper, who has quietly come into the life of Proctor. He must have been tempted by her fiery personality, which he cannot resist. This affair only happened, because at that time Elizabeth was sick, which allowed Abigail to make her  first move. John may have also been attracted to Abigail’s personality shown in Act 1. She tells John that the witchcraft isn’t true and that the girls were just having a party with Tituba. â€Å"PROCTOR, his smile widening: Ah, you’re wick ed aren’t y’! You’ll be clapped in the stocks before you’re twenty† (Miller 22). From this line we can conclude that Proctor is charmed by Abigail’s naughty tricks. The temper of John Proctor ties into the anger of Arthur Miller towards the McCarthy hearings. The Crucible relates to the McCarthy hearings, because Arthur Miller claimed to have written The Crucible to criticize the theme, while many people saw the resemblance between the Salem Witch Trials and the McCarthy Hearings. Just like McCarthy, the people of Salem were not interested in facts; instead, they took their hatred towards the people of their community. Miller himself was brought to the House of Un-American Activities Committee and was falsely accused of Communism. (â€Å"Fear as Governance: Arthur Miller The Crucible as Contemporary Reflection†). For the first two acts we see John doing little effect to the play. However, when Act 3 comes into play, he is there to protect his wife. He has three weapons that he can use against the court. First is Abigail’s admission that there was no witchcraft, proof from Mary Warren that the girls were faking, and the fact that he had an affair with Abigail. All this declines in the favor of Abigail. He only ends up ruining his name and getting himself condemned for witchcraft. The only way to save him from being hanged is by admitting that he is with the Devil and that he justifies that he was a bad person anyway. Horror struck when asked to sign his name. By signing his name he believed he will be signing his soul away. Even though, he is so close to being free once again, he refuses to sign his name. He says, â€Å"I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs.† (Miller 144). At first we may believe that The Crucible is just a story about witch trials that took place in Salem, but by paying a greater attention to the  minor details we can understand that the book has another meaning to it. Every detail can be connected to Arthur’s personal life.

How to Surf Essay -- essays research papers

Some would say it's like snowboarding, whereas others would say it's like skateboarding. I, on the other hand, believe surfing is unlike any other sport. Besides it being loads of fun and freeing your mind, it is also a great workout. Problem is, though, many people wonder how to get started and learn what to do. That's where I come in. First, you need to know the safety precautions. You absolutely have to know how to swim and be able to swim well. If this is a problem for you, you can easily contact a nearby gym (like YMCA) for and instructor to teach you how. Another growing issue with surfing is the strong currents and tidal waves. There are ways to predict the safety of the water on that particular day, but for now, just ask the nearest lifeguard on duty. Now that you know you are in no major harm, it is time to find the specifications on how you will surf. Stand up straight and point one of your arms to the sky. This is how long your board should be when you first start learning how to surf. As you get better, you may use shorter boards, which makes the ride a lot faster and thrilling. Next, you will test what stance you will acquire while on the board. To do this, lay your board flat on the sand, then position yourself face down on top of the board. Quickly jump up, and whichever foot is placed in front will be the same foot you lead with when you surf! If you lead with your left foot, you ride "regular," but if you rest your right foot ahead, you ride "...

A Woman Named Martha Josey Essay

Barrel racing is one of the rare sports developed initially for women. It is a â€Å"rodeo event in which a horse and the rider attempts to make a run as fast as possible and complete the given pattern† (Hubbard 1999). Any device that has a timer will be the judge for this kind of sport as it aims to record the level of speed. The timer â€Å"begins when the rider cross the start line and ends when the rider successfully executed the barrel pattern or when they cross the finish line†. Apparently, this kind of sport needs a great deal of strength, athletic ability, intelligence and drive; and therefore needs a lot of training. Barrel racing and horsemanship to be executed by women is somehow amazing. Some suggest that this kind of sport must only be played by men. It is said that the arena is more unhealthy and dangerous to women since they are apparently weaker than men physiologically. Martha Josey though is one of the few women who took the courage to try this kind of sport despite its high level of physical risks. Martha Josey is a world champion barrel racer and thus an inspiration to everyone in the sport of rodeo. She is now considered a â€Å"Cowgirl Hall of Famer after qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo on eight different horses in four consecutive decades from 1968 to 1998† (Hubbard 1999). Horses played a great contribution on Josey’s success. Some of her most famous horses that brought her to national finals and championship are â€Å"Cebe Reed, Sonny Bit O’Both and Orange Smash† (Diccus 2006). The horse â€Å"Cebe qualified Martha for her first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in 1968 and 1969† (Diccus 2006). In later years when Martha teamed up with â€Å"the big bay gelding, Sonny Bit O’ Both, she was again qualified to the NFR four years in a row from 1978 to 1981† (Diccus 2006). Furthermore Sonny set an all time record in 1980 â€Å"as he was the only horse in history to win the AQHA and WPRA World Championship† (Diccus 2006). But due to Sonny’s oldness later on, Martha introduced Orange Smash who gave her â€Å"the NBHA Senior Championship and Reserved Open 1- D Championship in Augusta, Georgia† (Diccus 2006). Moreover, Orange Smash made Josey â€Å"qualified for the NFR in 1998 and received the Gold- Round Winner Buckle† (Diccus 2006). Due to the consistent win of Martha Josey, Orange Smash received the â€Å"1999 AQHA Best of America’s Horse Award†. What is unique about Martha Josey is her calmness in arena every time. Her exterior disguises with â€Å"her impeccable manicure, makeup and outfit†, Martha looks to be attending a simple luncheon instead of a dusty and dangerous arena (Hubbard 1999). Her external manifestations, her better looking horses and her calmness made her stood out in crowd for past decades. Her reputation as a horse racer is radiating every time she wins. Meanwhile, throughout her career, Martha Josey also helped others to build their careers who are interested in barrel racing. Josey also â€Å"has helped build barrel racing’s recognition as a professional rodeo event, and in part through her efforts, barrel racing is held in the same arena and with the same respect and spectator interest as any of the other rodeo events† (Broyles 2006, p. 13). At this point of time, Martha Josey continues to compete for World Championship and is often featured in â€Å"Equine magazine† (Broyles 2006, p. 12). In addition, she manage to produce educational videos and documentaries about rodeo, markets her own line of equine products, establishes various clinics throughout America and helps promote Purina products. Right now, â€Å"she and her husband also train and market the very best in barrel horses at their home ranch in Marshall, Texas. The ranch is also home to world-class competitions† (Broyles 2006, p. 12). Martha Josey is one of the successful women in history who prove that women can be equal than men in whatever areas. The criticisms she received just because she is a woman did not affected her at all. In fact, she approach those criticisms constructively. Moreover, she emphasizes the fact that in sport in order to be successful, one should undergo a lot of training and one should intelligently approach every challenges. She is now currently living in Texas constantly fulfilling her passion in rodeo sport through helping others to be a winner too just like her. Reference: Broyles, J. (2006). â€Å"Barrel Racing†. New York USA. The Rosen Publishing Group. Diccus, T. (2006). â€Å"Martha Josey- The Legend by Ron Atwood†. Tamara Hillman on line. Retrieved on June 4, 2009 from http://www. rodeocountry. org/tamarahillmanbuckinbroncos. htm Hubbard, C. (1999). â€Å"Smash Success Martha Josey eyes her fifth decade at the National Finals†. Active Interest Media, Inc. from the book of American Cowboy.

John Locke And Jean Jacques Rousseau - 967 Words

From the ancient Greek city-state of Athens and Sparta to the United States, societies and civilizations have been the cornerstone of human history. However, the formation of these concepts do not simply appear but must instead be created. Thus the concept of a ‘Social Contract’ was formed by philosophers as a means to better understand why individuals would come together to form a society. Two philosophers, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, give their respective opinions on what is the role and purpose of a â€Å"Social Contact’ in their works the â€Å"Second Treatise on Government† and â€Å"Of the Social Contract†. When defining the social contract in the â€Å"Second Treatise on Government†, Locke begins by addressing the state of nature. Similar to other philosophers of his time, Locke states his definition of the state of nature which he describes as â€Å"a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their pos sessions and persons, as they think fit within the bounds of the law of nature†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ( Locke, Pg. 365). In addition, the state of nature maintains a type of equality between individuals, with no one holding power another, and the ability to punish those that have wronged you. Still Locke understands that his description is not meant to define â€Å"the state of nature as a sort of utopia† (Uzgalis) as he recognizes the inherit flaws within that system. In Locke’s view, the protection of one’s property and individual liberties serve as the reason why people would willinglyShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke And Jean Jacques Rousseau1270 Words   |  6 Pagesimplementation of a society in which all are guaranteed equal rights has never come to fruition. 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As a result, their views of the development of society greatlyRead MoreJean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke: Their Relevance for American Society 1811 Words   |  7 PagesIn Second Treatise on Government and The Social Contract, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau each present and describe their own perceptions of what allows for equality, freedom and democracy. Of the many major ideas developed throughout these texts, the two main distinctions between the two philosophers are natural freedom versus civil freedom and individualism versus collectivism. John Locke, who provided the framework that would allow for liberal democracy, writes that in a state of nature,Read More Comparing John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau2026 Words   |  9 PagesComparing John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all dealt with the issue of political freedom within a society. John Lockes â€Å"The Second Treatise of Government†, Mills â€Å"On Liberty†, and Rousseau’s â€Å"Discourse On The Origins of Inequality† are influential and compelling literary works which while outlining the conceptual framework of each thinker’s ideal state present divergent visions of the very nature of man and hisRead MoreThomas Hobbes, John Locke, And Jean-Jacques Rousseau All1781 Words   |  8 PagesThomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all represent social contract theorists who were influenced by liberalism and the enlightenment respectively. They each offer varying takes and critiques of what exactly is the state of nature and from those discussions of the state of nature, they delve into what the state of government would be if it was born from that same state of nature. Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau can each be compared and contrasted with one another based upon their own definitionRead MoreSocial Contract Hypothesis By John Locke And Jean Jacques Rousseau1723 Words   |  7 Pagesfull work and protection by Thomas Hobbes. After Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are the best known defenders of this tremendously powerful hypothesis, which has been a standout amongst the most prevailing speculations inside of good and political hypothesis all through the historical backdrop of the cutting edge West. In the twentieth century, moral and political hypothesis recovered philosophical force as a consequence of John Rawls Kantian adaptation of social contract hypothesis